This invention relates to an insert for a container. More particularly, it pertains to an insert for a planting container that partially suspends soil above a water reservoir and allows the soil to be aerated from below.
Plants are frequently grown in containers, such as pots and flower boxes. The containers are generally filled with soil with the plant being generally located near the top of the soil. The plant is watered by adding water to the top of the soil and allowing it to gravitate downward through the soil. This traditional planting and watering system has a number of drawbacks. For instance, top watering a soil-filled container results in the soil frequently becoming saturated near the bottom of the container. Such saturation prohibits the roots of the plant from obtaining the air necessary for the plant's existence. Also, top watering tends to compact the soil which reduces the amount of air within the soil and causes the soil to become saturated more quickly. Likewise, watering the plant from above results in lost water due to run off and evaporation.
In an attempt to deal with some of these drawbacks, plant containers have been formed with access holes near the bottom of the container. Such holes allow excess water to drain from the container and also provide an opening through which air may contact the soil near the bottom of the container. These types of containers do not address all of the problems associated with top watering, and have several disadvantageous features of their own. Primarily, the plant container must utilize a second container or include a water retaining area to retain the water which drains through the holes. If the holes themselves are too large, soil will wash out through the holes along with the water. Conversely, if the holes are too small, the water flow through the holes will plug the holes and cut off the supply of air to the soil.
Thus, a need exists for an insert for a planting container which allows interaction between air and the bottom of the soil, substantially eliminates the aforementioned drawbacks associated with watering soil from above, and minimizes the area of soil that is subject to saturation.